Amnesia: The Dark Descent
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Page 2

Bulbatron wrote:This point was obviously intended as a point where players could take a moment to calm down after their first really stressful, tense encounter. Even the music is somewhat calmer at this point.

I suppose these points will become fewer and further between as players progress.

I agree. That's probably the reason for it. I did feel pretty calm around that area, and the music pretty much assured me that there'd be no monster in this area, at least for the time being. As I click on the water fountain though, and the water splashed (reminding me of the chase just moments ago), I thought, "Oh right, very funny. I was just chased by a water monster and now you give me water fountain."

Did nobody find that ironic or maybe just cruel?

Did anyone else accumulated a lot of tinderbox? (not sure if this is spoiler) I've actually gone up to 26, if my oil hadn't run low I'd probably have 30 now), because I'm so reluctant to light something up and thereby eliminating my hiding spot (unless I can light something and only brighten a corner, leaving me with another corner to hide in).

I don't particularly mind the graphic effects. Sure it's annoying that Daniel reacts that way, but I figure it's another game play mechanic that requires you to balance things. Stay in the shadow and feel safe but lose your vision (have blurry vision), or stay in the light and see perfectly well but also being seen perfectly well? It all adds to the tension really.

An interesting thing with this game (I'm new to the horror genre) is that I find myself keep looking for and taking note of escape routes and hiding spots, and a few times stacking up crates for me to possibly hide behind later (I rather hide behind darkness and cover). Some people like to close the doors behind them, but generally when I'm faced with two doors in a room I keep both open, just in case I need to run.

I don't particularly mind the graphic effects. Sure it's annoying that Daniel reacts that way, but I figure it's another game play mechanic that requires you to balance things. Stay in the shadow and feel safe but lose your vision (have blurry vision), or stay in the light and see perfectly well but also being seen perfectly well? It all adds to the tension really

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I like this - it means you can't really relax for long - you've got to constantly juggle the balance. Proper tense horror. And I love the sanity meter when it just displays "..." heh

Played this late into the night yesterday on a huge HD projector in a dark room with 2 mates and we were all shitting ourselves. Played a good 6 hours of it and if you think the water chase bit is scary, you're going to find the next parts terrifying.

You have to go into a storage room to find some bits and pieces and Daniel tells you that the air is 'unnatural'. What you find down there is bloody horrible.

I'm a bit past that section now but it doesn't get any less scary. The tension and the feeling that something could be around the next corner is truly brilliant and I really like the way they have kept everything 'physical'.

PapaSmurf630 wrote:
Played this late into the night yesterday on a huge HD projector in a dark room with 2 mates and we were all shitting ourselves. Played a good 6 hours of it and if you think the water chase bit is scary, you're going to find the next parts terrifying.

You have to go into a storage room to find some bits and pieces and Daniel tells you that the air is 'unnatural'. What you find down there is bloody horrible.

I'm a bit past that section now but it doesn't get any less scary. The tension and the feeling that something could be around the next corner is truly brilliant and I really like the way they have kept everything 'physical'.

Yes, I'm at that point. The constant and ubiquitous whimpers from that girl are unnerving. I had to save and quit shortly after opening the door to be greeted by one of the monsters.

Compared to Penumbra games, Amnesia has a much more palpable atmosphere, even if at the cost of coherent storytelling. I wish the next survival horror game that Friction develop (if they do) would involve less of the obvious supernatural and more of the mystical unknown. In Penumbra, monsters served as but another cog in the machine of storytelling, rather than the main driving force of horror; in Penumbra, it seemed as though the monsters foreshadow a much greater and severe threat.

I quit shortly after I completed that area. That was the area where I started using my tinderboxes, since the lantern just wasn't a good enough choice (it'd run out if I didn't light some stuff).

At two points I encountered the monster. Once I was in the shadow entering the next room just as it walked into that room. I ran straight back and duck behind a crate that was placed there for me to hide behind (afterward it's obvious that they put it there for that purpose alone). The monster never saw me since I was in the darkness, which I found out later. I stayed behind the crate for a few minutes thinking it'd come after me The other time I was leaving the storage room area and almost walked right into it. It was right there on top of the stairs and I was just going up, and behind me was a candle - lighting me right up. I bolted and ran all the way back down two corridors to the storage room area where there were a lot of shadow, and I was just looking into the light to see movement. It didn't come after me either.

PapaSmurf630 wrote:
Played this late into the night yesterday on a huge HD projector in a dark room with 2 mates and we were all shitting ourselves. Played a good 6 hours of it and if you think the water chase bit is scary, you're going to find the next parts terrifying.

Can anyone give me a pointer? I'm at the bit where I need to get the elevator working. I've got the rods in the machine, in the right order, the burner is happy with the amount of coal, i've put the cogs on the steam machine, but it keeps saying "More work needs to be done" when I press the lever for the steam engine. I've read a note that says to use a replacement rod from the study if one breaks, but the ones I got from storage seem ok. If I have to get a replacement rod from the study - where the hell is it? I've looked everywhere

Cheers

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No matter - sorted it - got certain things in the wrong order.

And now I've got the elevator working, took 1 minute to look around in the next area, and said, "Fuck that" and turned it off, lol

I don't want to brag, but I really didn't find this game scary, I've felt more uncomfortable in Silent Hill 2 and the Fatal Frame series. A lot of enemies you see walking in the distance seem to disappear into thin air when you walk after them. The fact that you're helpless is a challenge to work around, but I find the monsters lose sight of me easily. So there's barely a threat to my life. Knowing you're safer than it looks = no scares.

SuperBas wrote:
I don't want to brag, but I really didn't find this game scary, I've felt more uncomfortable in Silent Hill 2 and the Fatal Frame series. A lot of enemies you see walking in the distance seem to disappear into thin air when you walk after them. The fact that you're helpless is a challenge to work around, but I find the monsters lose sight of me easily. So there's barely a threat to my life. Knowing you're safer than it looks = no scares.

I find it depends on what scares you in general. For instance, if I watch the grudge, I can guarantee it'll send shivers up my spine, even though I've watched it 20+ times. But a friend of mine simply shrugs through the whole thing.

Project zero's, I can't even play unless I'm really in the mood - the tension is just too much for me. Silent hill 2, whilst brilliant, doesn't really scare me at all, apart from the odd dark area in the hospital, but even then, it's nowt compared to project zero - I keep thinking that I'll install the language pack for project zero 4, but I *still* haven't done it yet!

I think with Amnesia - it's not the monsters, it's the darkness and the sound - my imagination plays havoc when I'm low on oil and trawling through a pitch black area listening to the ambient moans and screams - at least for me, anyway

I agree completely quadfather, it's not the jumpy scares, it's the tension and the darkness that gets me.

The feeling that something dreadful is around the next corner or up the next corridor is sometimes simply to much. It is a little easier for me because I'll only play it when there's someone else in the room helping me out and taking turns but I will still find myself simply closing my eyes and holding W until my mate tells me it's okay!

I think it's this type of 'scary' that makes films like Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity so brilliant. They don't rely on jumps and visual scares, they almost make you scare yourself...

PapaSmurf630 wrote:
I agree completely quadfather, it's not the jumpy scares, it's the tension and the darkness that gets me.

The feeling that something dreadful is around the next corner or up the next corridor is sometimes simply to much. It is a little easier for me because I'll only play it when there's someone else in the room helping me out and taking turns but I will still find myself simply closing my eyes and holding W until my mate tells me it's okay!

I think it's this type of 'scary' that makes films like Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity so brilliant. They don't rely on jumps and visual scares, they almost make you scare yourself...

Just finished my first run through. Fantastic game, and definitely worth the £10 I paid for it! I think it's going to be on my 'Best of' list by the end of the year. Unfortunately not the best, as I think Bayonetta will be gracing that spot.

Anyway, To people who have finished the game; Which ending did you get? I got the supposed GOOD END by saving Aggripa's little head.

I still can't play this for more than 20 minutes. I nearly had a heart attack last night when I opened a door to see a shambling thing waiting for me inside, roaring at me. I ran and cowered in a corner for a few minutes. I could feel the adrenaline pumping. This game really does generate genuine fear. Amazing!

Ravenger wrote:
I still can't play this for more than 20 minutes. I nearly had a heart attack last night when I opened a door to see a shambling thing waiting for me inside, roaring at me. I ran and cowered in a corner for a few minutes. I could feel the adrenaline pumping. This game really does generate genuine fear. Amazing!

Is that in a kind of long dining type room with a few rooms on the right hand side - monster in the 2nd on the right? Because if it is, I too shared your adrenaline at that point

Dave_McCoy wrote:
The demo messed me up in horrible ways. Definately pick it up if it hits a sale. I could do with finishing (and starting) the Penumbra games first though.

Heh, I have all three and I have played one of them for about an hour. I quite enjoyed them but I seem to recall that I got stuck so I gave up and haven't returned. I should do at some point. I am quite intrigued by this but I'm a pussy with scares these days, unfortunately.